Silicoid/Master of Orion II
The Silicoids are an incredible oddity; they’re the only known sentient crystalline life form. These strange beings are lithovores; they eat minerals instead of food. Silicoids are environmentally tolerant, and thus can support a greater maximum population on nearly every type of world. They also spend no effort to clean up pollution, as it has no effect on them. They do, however, have an extremely low rate of reproduction, 50% below galactic standards. Their unusual chemistry also affects their ability to communicate with other races; Silicoids are considered repulsive by all other sentient species. The Silicoids have a Dictatorial governmentMaster of Orion II: Battle of Antares instructional manual.. Traits Population Growth -10 Population growth modifiers affect the rate at which the population of every colony grows. This affects the base to which the effects of a planet’s terrain and pollution are applied. Low population growth rates are usually the result of shorter life spans, slower biological processes, physical weakness, or some similarly inherent problem. Higher growth rates result from things like long life spans, strong immune systems, or general fecundity. Lithovore Lithovore describes those populations that have the ability to subsist on rock alone, without organic foodstuffs. These races can subsist on any planet simply by eating the minerals. This means farming is completely unnecessary (other than for profit) and freighters are unnecessary, except for transportation of colonists. Lithovore and Cybernetic are mutually exclusive. Tolerant Tolerant means that a race is practically immune to extreme environments. Typically, these races have strong regenerative properties or a metabolism quite unlike that of the average humanoid. Races that are tolerant can use 25% more of a planet’s surface for habitation, living in places no other race would dare and boosting the planet’s maximum potential population. Thus, for example, while a typical race could live on 25% of a Barren planet, a Tolerant race could use 50% of the same planet. Tolerant races also suffer no harm from pollution and need not spend production resources cleaning it up. Government Dictatorship Main article: Dictatorship In a dictatorial government, one individual rules the entire empire without having to answer to anyone else. Orders and decisions are enforced through a ruthless and efficient organization, by any means necessary. * Due to the increased internal security needed to prevent revolts, defensive spies gain a 10% bonus to every mission. * The morale of each planet under a Dictatorial government suffers by 20% until a Marine Barracks or Armor Barracks is built there. (The presence of local troops is necessary to exert control.) * It takes 8 turns for a Dictatorship to assimilate a unit of conquered population. * If the capital of a Dictatorship is captured, a morale penalty of 35% is applied to all colonies until a new capital is built. Imperium The advanced form of a Dictatorship is an Imperium. Imperium governments receive the following benefits in addition to the usual Dictatorial characteristics. * Assimilation of conquered colonists takes only 4 turns. * The Defensive Spy bonus is increased to 20%. * Your command rating is increased by 50%. References Category:MoO II Races